Refrigerating apparatus



y 1, 1937. B. 1%. GEYER 2,080,369

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March 21, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. l 35ers"! B. @575.

BY Z lI/S ATTORNEYS.

y 1937- B. B. GEYER 2,080,369

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March 21, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

5- 3 .Zzeneon 3. 6

BY W, M 4 4 24,

HIS ATTORNEYS Patented May 11, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 21, 1935, Serial No. 12,243

Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration and particularly to freezing trays used in the freezing compartment of a cooling element of a domestic refrigerator. I

- Flexible non-metallic trays have heretofore 'been used in domestic refrigerators for freezing water into a plurality of iceblocks or cubes. These trays while being constructed to facilitate the removal of ice cubes therefrom, after the tray has been removed from its support on the cooling element of a. refrigerating system, have not been entirely satisfactory. For example, the flexible rubber trays now in use quite frequently become bonded to cooling elements to such a degree that they cannot be removed from the element without damaging or tearing the rubber walls thereof. In other words, during certain conditions within a household refrigerator or after prolonged ope'ration of the refrigerating system associated therewith, a suflicient amount of moisture is condensed on the refrigerating surface of the cooling element, in the form of frost or ice, to cause the tray to become frozen in the cooling element. This frost frequently attains such a thickness as to build up around sides of the tray to such a height that the flexible tray cannot be moved by force applied by hands of the housewife or user. Therefore to remove the tray from the cooling element without damaging same it would be necessary to defrost or melt the ice and frost from the cooling element irrespective of whether such defrosting was desired at that particular time. My invention is directed to an improvement for facilitating removal of a flexible tray from its support on a cooling element or evaporator of a refrigerating system under the conditions explained to avoid the necessity of defrosting the element.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved tray from which the frozen contents may be easily removed and which tray may be conveniently handled either when filled with water or frozen substance.

Another object of the; invention is to provid an improved flexiblenon-metallic tray having a reinforcing metal frame or support which will i not interfere with flexing of the tray to facilitate removal of its frozen contents. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible non-metallic tray with a metal frame or support which serves, whenforce is applied to a portion of the frame as a leverage or 'camming meansfor breaking a bond between the tray and its support ,on the coolingelement.

A stillfurther object] of the present invention is to provide a flexible non-metallic tray with a two-part metal frame, one part of which frame forms a support for the tray while the other part of the frame forms a combined movable handle and cam means for facilitating removal of the tray from its support on a cooling element.

In carrying out the foregoing objects it is a still further and more specific object of the invention to provide a flexible non-metallic tray with a two-part metal frame for the purpose described in the preceding object which is removable from the tray and is constructed to receive trays of different dimensions.

Further objects and. advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a cooling element of a refrigerating apparatus of the household type showing trays embodying my invention supported by the element;

Fig. 2 is. an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the lines 22 of Fig. 1 through the cooling element showing the rack or tray support in elevation with the lowermost tray moved upwardly relative to its support.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the I lines 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side view of a metal frame constructed according to the present invention and adapted to be applied to a flexible ice tray; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the tray frame or support shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings the reference character Ill designates an evaporator or cooling element adapted to be mounted in the food storage compartment of a household refrigerator cabinet and adapted to be connected to any, suitable or conventional refrigerant. liquefying and circulating unit (not shown). The evaporator I0 is preferably of the sheet metal variety of the type disclosed in the patent -to Ernest Dickey No. 1,972,551 of Sept. 4. 1934 and includes a plurality of refrigerated walls ll forming a sharp freezing compartment l2. Arefrigerated shelf l3 divides compartment I! of. evaporator Ill into a plurality of compartments and forms a flat support for receiving receptacles or trays adapted to contain a substance to be congealed or frozen. 'I'he'dottions within a food storage compartment of a refrigerator cabinet or after prolonged operating of the refrigerating system connected to the evaporator. The reference character I6 designates as a whole a flexible receptacle or tray which is preferably molded-in one piece from soft flexible high grade rubber. The tray l6 has partitions If! therein dividing the interior thereof into two 1 longitudinalrows' of separate ice forming compartments or pockets l8. i'I'hese partitions may be split a considerable distance downwardly from their top edge or they may have small openings interconnecting the pockets Hi to permit equalization of the water level in all the pockets when the tray is filled with water as is conventional and well-known to those skilled in the art. A metal wire loop I9 may, if desired, be set in the molding die when the rubber tray I6 is molded and this wire is thereby molded or imbedded in the rubber about the upper edge of the tray to facilitate handling thereof. The tray I6 is adapted to be carried by and positioned on the support l3 or on the bottom wall of the evaporator ill by a two-part metal frame or supporting device generally designated by the reference character 20 the construction of which will now be described.

The frame device 20 includes a portion 2| for supporting the tray l6 (see Figs. 4 and 5) and a portion 22 forming a movable part of the device. The portion 2| of frame member 20 includes a pair of longitudinally extending round metal wires 23 adapted to fit in grooves 24 provided in the bottom wall of tray l6 (see Fig. 3) for supporting the tray. The pair of wires 23 are secured together by a flat metal member 25 which forms a stationary part of a hinge. The free or rear ends of the pair of wires 23 each has a curved finger member 26 soldered or welded thereto and preferably constructed of spring steel. End portions of wires 23 which are secured to the member 25 each also has a curved finger member 2'! similar to the finger 26 secured thereto. Movable portion 22 of the frame device 20 comprises a substantially U-shaped steel wire 28 having its portion intermediate the ends thereof formed upwardly and outwardly to provide a handle portion 29 for the device 20. The ends of wire 28 are secured together by soldering or welding same to a flat metal member 3| which membenforms a movable portion of a hinge. To complete the hinge a shaft or rod 32 is passed through suitable openings provided in the members 25 and 3| to form the pivot point for the metal portions 25 and 3|.

In theordinary use of the device of the present invention tray I6 is set in the frame member 20 and the upper ends of the spring clips or resilient fingers 26 and 21 are then moved or snapped over the top edge of the tray to hold the tray in the frame member 20. The tray I6 is filled with water, or any other substance to be congealed or frozen, and is then inserted in the cooling element In and positioned upon the freezing shelf l3 or upon the bottom wall of-the evaporator by the carrying device 20. It will be noted that when the device is supported onv the support of the cooling element'the' bottom walls of the compartments l8 of tray l6 rest on theflat supporting surface due to the rods 23 being received in the grooves 24 of the tray and being-flush with the bottom thereof. After the contents of the tray havebeen frozen the tray ordinarily becomes bonded to its support and if it is desired to remove the tray l6 from the cooling element the handle portion 29 of the device 20 may be manually moved downwardly as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings to break the bond between the tray and its support. This movement of handle 29 causes the lower elbow portions of wire 28 to engage the surface of support l3 or the bottom wall of the cooling element l0. Further or additional force applied to the handle 29 causes a rocking movement of the portion 22 of device 20 about the elbow portion thereof engaging the support. This movement causes the portion 2| of device 20 to buckle or pivot about the rod or shaft 32 and to be elevated or tilted and the tray [6 thus moves upwardly relative to its support for causing same to be substantially peeled therefrom. The tray l6 and its carrying or positioning device 20 may then be readily and easily removed from the freezing compartment l2 of the cooling element. It is to be noted that the spacing apart of the rods 23 on device 20 prevents these rods from interfering with the flexing of tray 16 to remove its-frozen contents after the device is removed from the cooling element l 0 and whilethe tray is positioned in the device 20. Thus the device of the present invention has all the desired characteristics of a conventional flexible wardly of the normal position thereof shown in Fig. 4 to secure a tray which is longer and/or higher than the tray l6 shown in the drawings to the device 20. In this mannerthe device 20 may be employed with a plurality of flexible rubber trays of different size. After the device 20 and the tray l6 therein have been removed from the cooling element as a unit the tray can be removed from the device 20, if desired, for facilitating removal of its frozen contents or for cleaning purposes. However, removal of the tray l6 from the device 20 is not necessary or recommended since the bars 23 are spacedapart to permit sufflcient flexing of the tray l6 to remove its contents while same is positioned in the device 20.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved device which facilitates carrying and handling of a flexible non-metallic ice tray. My improved device provides a means his to be understood that other'forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling element having a. support for receiving an ice tray, 9. flexible nonmetallic freezing tray on said cooling element support, a metal device for carrying and positioning said tray on the cooling element support,

said device including a plurality of members secured together and extending longitudinally under said tray for supporting same, a. plurality of resilient spring clips secured to said longitudinally extending members and fitting over the top edge of said tray for holding the tray upon the device, and a handle pivotally secured to a portion of said device and adapted when moved about its pivotal mounting to break an ice bond between said tray and its support on the cooling element.

2. In combination with a cooling element of a refrigerating system having a support thereon for receiving and supporting an ice tray, a. freezing tray of flexible material on the support of the cooling element, a rigid device for carrying and positioning said flexible tray on the cooling element support, said rigid device having a pornon-extending under said tray for supporting same, said device including a member secured to said tray supporting portion thereof and engaging a part of the tray to hold the tray upon the supporting portion of the device, said memher being disengageable from said part of said tray to permit detachment of the tray from said device, said device also including another portion secured to said tray supporting portion thereof and forming a handle therefor, and said handle portion of said device being movable relative to said tray supporting portion thereof for moving the tray relative to its support on the cooling element.

3. In combination with a cooling element of a refrigerating system having a support thereon for receiving and supporting an ice tray, a flexible non-metallic freezing tray on the support of the cooling element, a metal device for carrying and positioning said:tray on the cooling element support, said metal device having a portion extending longitudinally under said trayfor supporting same, said metal device including a.

member secured to said tray supporting portionthereof and engaging a part of the tray to hold the tray upon the supporting portion of the de-. vice, said member being disengageable from said part of said tray to permit detachment of the tray from said device, said device also including another portion secured to said tray supporting portion thereof and forming a handle therefor, and said handle portion of said device being movable relative to said tray supporting portion thereof for moving the tray relative to its support on the cooling element.

4. In combination with a cooling element of a refrigerating system having a support thereon for receiving and supporting an ice tray, a flexible non-metallic freezing tray on the support of the cooling element, a metal device for carrying and positioning said tray on the cooling element support, said metal device having a portion extending longitudinally under said tray for supporting same, said metal device including a member secured to said tray supporting portion thereof and engaging a part of the tray to hold the tray upon the supporting portion of the device, said member being disengageable from said part of said tray to permit detachment of the tray from said device, and a handle pivotally secured to a portion of said device and adapted when moved about its pivotal mounting to break an ice bond between said tray and its support on the cooling element.

5. In combination with a cooling element of a refrigerating system having a support thereon for receiving and supporting an ice tray,'a flexible freezing tray on the support of the cooling element, a rigid device for carrying and positioning said flexible tray on the cooling element support, said rigid device having a portion extending under said tray for supporting same, said device also BER'I'RAM B. GEYERQ 

